Stories Shared brings Faith Grown


Acts 14:21-28
21When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch,
22strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.
23And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.
24Then they passed through Pisidia and came to Pamphylia.
25And when they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia,
26and from there they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work that they had fulfilled.
27And when they arrived and gathered the church together, they declared all that God had done with them, and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles.
28And they remained no little time with the disciples.

One of the things that happens in our church at least once a year, often more than that, are reports from missionaries we support out in the field. They return to home base to share what God has done in their ministries. For me, these are always very moving and inspirational moments. Paul and Barnabas now return to the believing community that sent them out into the world to share what God has done through them while they were traveling.

Place yourself into the scene in Antioch when Paul comes back. The church gathers with great excitement to hear what has happened to these two men. Listen with the crowd as Paul tells of being stoned and restored. Share the joy as stories are told of people who were healed of lifelong diseases and ailments. Praise God with the community as news of countless Gentiles and Jews being saved is reported. The faith of the group swells as they take in all that God has done.

The same is true for us as well. When we share what God has done in our lives the faith of every hearer is boosted. There is so much joy in hearing someone tell how God has touched them, healed them, or helped them in some way. Yet often we are reticent to tell these stories and we shouldn’t be. Even the little things are worth sharing. Every time we heighten our awareness of God’s actions we are shining His light into a dark world. It sounds simple but it requires thought and intentionality. Maybe that will be a good goal for the next few days; speak out God’s actions and share what He’s doing, no matter how large or small.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Excusez-moi

Image
2 Kings 23:31-37 31 Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. 32 And he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his fathers had done. 33 And Pharaoh Neco put him in bonds at Riblah in the land of Hamath, that he might not reign in Jerusalem, and laid on the land a tribute of a hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold. 34 And Pharaoh Neco made Eliakim the son of Josiah king in the place of Josiah his father, and changed his name to Jehoiakim. But he took Jehoahaz away, and he came to Egypt and died there. 35 And Jehoiakim gave the silver and the gold to Pharaoh, but he taxed the land to give the money according to the command of Pharaoh. He exacted the silver and the gold of the people of the land, from everyone according to his assessment, to give it to Pharaoh Neco. 36 Jehoiakim was twenty-fiv
Read more

יהוה שָׁמַר--Yahweh Shamar (God Watches)

Image
Psalm 121 1 I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? 2 My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. 3 He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. 4 Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. 5 The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand. 6 The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. 7 The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. 8 The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore. There are numerous passages I cling to when stress takes over my life. I would be hard pressed to declare a favorite, but this psalm would come close. So this morning I listened to Psalm 121 about 20 times as I meditated through the verses. First, I want to point out that the word or idea of shamar appears in every verse expect 6. The NIV uses the word "watch" while the ESV uses "keep". The
Read more

Narrow Door

Image
Luke 13:22-30 22 He went on his way through towns and villages, teaching and journeying toward Jerusalem. 23 And someone said to him, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” And he said to them , 24 “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. 25 When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us,’ then he will answer you, ‘I do not know where you come from.’ 26 Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ 27 But he will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!’ 28 In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves cast out. 29 And people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at tabl
Read more